God's Pity on this Worthless Protagonist!
by Humbert Humbert lolihunter
Summary: Fukushima Yuji is the definition of worthless. A degenerate lolicon who steals money from his own mother to buy his 'goods'. Dying in the most pitiful and pathetic way possible, even the cute silver haired goddess who greets him in heaven seems to be in a hurry to get rid of him. Can this guy who has no brain or brawn or any useful life skills survive in a dangerous RPG world?
1. Chapter 1

**God's Pity on this Worthless Protagonist!**

 **Volume 1: The Pitiful Chronicles of a Little Girl Lover!**

 **Prologue**

"Fukushima Yuji-san, welcome to the afterlife. Unfortunately, you've died. It might've been short, but your life's now over."

A voice called out to me in this white room.

In front of me was an office desk and a chair.

And sitting on the chair was a beautiful girl.

She had long flowing silver hair and blue eyes.

A beauty that surpassed the standard of mortal beings.

Her unearthly looks made me conclude right away that she was a goddess.

This beauty avoided my gaze after she finished her speech.

I see. She must have witnessed my last moments of life.

I recalled the moments that lead up to my death.

As a man of specific tastes I had a certain kind of hobby.

A certain interest that most of society would condemn.

One day, in the rare moments I left the house, my mother took the chance to snoop around in my room.

She claimed to have been cleaning it, but she was probably looking for suspicious items.

When I got home after purchasing even more of these aforementioned suspicious items, I heard my mother screaming in my room.

Hurrying to my room in a panic, I opened the door and was immediately assaulted by my mother, who was in a rage.

Calling me a mistake she should have swallowed or aborted, she started beating me with her fists.

While a woman would normally have a hard time fighting a man, I am a NEET who has a fragile body structure.

The body that never gets any sunlight and subsists only on instant ramen broke down to the fists of an old woman.

I don't get it. Why would she beat her own son to death?

Treating me like I'm trash.

Lolicon are human beings, too.

Was it because the lolicon videos she found on my PC were mosaic-less, and featured hardcore fetish stuff you could only find in shady deep web locations?

I didn't have a choice. At first I was fine with soft-core stuff, but the guys in the image boards would insult me and call me a cuck and moralfag. I was forced to watch the hardcore stuff they sent me and eventually I came to like it.

Was it because she found out I stole the money she was saving for my brother's school tuition fees?

I didn't have a choice. How else could I purchase the lolicon erotica that was available only for a limited time? And my brother is a dumbass, anyways. He will fail and drop out in a year.

I don't get it. Why was she so angry?

Anyways, that's what happened.

"...I see. May I ask one thing, goddess-sama?"

"What… What is it?"

Is it just me, or is this goddess-sama looking at me as if I'm trash?

"My mother… Even though she beat her own son to death, I would be sad to know that she got into legal trouble over it. What happened to her?"

"Oh, no. She didn't get into any kind of trouble at all. The police took one look at your… 'collection', and concluded that every court would side with your mother..."

She said while still giving me a look as if she were eyeing a pile of garbage.

It stings if such a beautiful girl looks at me like that, so please don't.

"...Putting that aside, there are two options available to you."

It might just be my imagination, but this goddess-sama seemed to be in a hurry to get rid of me.

And she hasn't even told me her name yet.

"The first option is ascension to heaven. It is a beautiful place free of sorrows and worries. You will also be unshackled from the burden of earthly desires…"

"No, thank you."

"...You didn't even let me finish."

I don't need to hear the rest.

That last line must mean that it is impossible to do ecchi things in heaven.

In that case, I'd rather go to hell.

"...The second option available to you is reincarnation. Your soul will be sent back to earth and you will be reborn as a baby. You will lose all of your memories, but at least some part of you will remain in the real world…"

"I see. And what criteria determines if I will live a good life as a reincarnated person?"

If it's something like karma, I'm not very optimistic with my chances.

"...That is up to the discretion of the goddess in charge, actually."

This goddess-sama has been looking at me like I was a pile of dog poop she found on the ground.

She will certainly not give me any special consideration.

And starting over as a baby without any of my memories intact didn't appeal to me.

What's the point of reincarnation if you don't get to keep your previous life experiences?

I'll just make the same mistakes and grow up to be a useless NEET all over again.

"...There is also one more option available to you. Do you like games?"

Goddess-sama explained the third option to me.

So, it goes like this:

A typical setting of a Demon King who is a threat to the land.

A world of sword and magic filled with the creatures and fantasy races you'd associate with it.

In this world, the people live in fear of the Demon King.

Life is hard enough with dangerous monsters stalking about.

Commoners live harsh lives and most die at a young age.

As such, the souls who died refuse to return into such an unforgiving world.

So, in order to balance out the distribution of souls…

...Why not send over people from other worlds who died young and want another shot at life?

This is the premise.

"Fear not. We goddesses will give you support by allowing you to bring either a legendary weapon or a powerful ability to this world. That way, the people of that world will have someone combat ready to help them, and you will also thrive and become successful in that world…"

An enticing deal that seems to target young men who are still influenced by their childhood.

Throwing around terms like 'legendary weapon', 'Demon King' and 'fantasy world' in order to appeal to the dreams of Japanese youth.

But, there's only one thing that I really need to know.

"...What's the age of consent in this world?"

Beyond everything else, this is the one thing I am concerned about.

Goddess-sama didn't even try to hide her contempt this time.

"...F-Fourteen."

"I'm ready to go to this world, goddess-sama."

What a wonderful world.

Completely unlike the world I had just departed.

In this parallel world, something as trivial as age doesn't get in the way of true love.

"...I-In any case, we also provide a service where we overload your brain with knowledge about the language of this world. But there's a chance your mind might break down from the overload of data…"

"I don't care. I'll take the risk."

"Right… The only thing left to do now is to choose the 'perk' you will bring along to this world..."

Right, there's that.

I got so excited about the prospect of completely legal relations with little girls that I forgot about that.

I wasn't especially good at games when I was alive.

Even though I played a lot of them, I didn't have the focus to be good at anything.

The games I liked the most were those wish fulfillment RPGs that don't take a lot of skill.

Games that give the player the illusion of power and dominance.

But despite my lack of expertise, I knew enough to tell that these perks were O.P.

On the list of perks were things like 'Unnatural Strength', 'Super Magic', 'Holy Sword Arondight' and 'Demon Sword Murasame'...

Since they were all O.P. and I was in a hurry to depart to the parallel world, I only briefly skimmed through the perks.

The powerful abilities still needed some application of skill while the O.P. weapons practically did the work by themselves.

Or so I imagine.

And so I picked the coolest sounding weapon, 'Demon Sword Murasame'.

The name sounded a bit too edgy for my liking, but it had the highest attack rating of those I skimmed over.

When I made my choice, I felt a heavy weight on my back.

Without needing to look, I could tell that a sheathed sword appeared there.

There was also a leather strap around my chest.

I hope that I will have an easy life with this O.P. weapon.

Goddess-sama also gave me a pouch full of coins and instructions to seek out an 'Adventurer's Guild' when I arrive in the other world.

An Adventurer's Guild...

This world was sounding more and more cliche the more I heard about it.

After quickly choosing my perk, goddess-sama raised her arms towards me.

A light then appeared below my feet…!

"Fukushima Yuji-san, you'll be heading to another world now and become one of the hero candidates to defeat the Demon King. You'll receive a gift from the gods the moment you defeat the Demon King. A gift befitting the saviour of the world… You'll be granted a wish; it may be anything you want."

Offering a gift was probably a means to incentivize people from actually focusing on the main quest.

At first I had no desire to challenge something that sounds so dangerous like the Demon King.

But a wish from the gods was too tempting to resist.

I'll put some effort into the main quest, then.

"Hero, may you be victorious among the many hero candidates and be the one to defeat the Demon King… Well then, I bid you farewell…"

Right to the very end, goddess-sama spoke with an overly polite tone.

I could tell she was just putting up with me.

Am I really that despicable?

I am a docile lolicon. I will not do anything towards a loli without their permission.

Somehow I wish to express this to the beautiful goddess-sama.

But, before I had the chance, the light was already surrounding me.

And then I was taken from that white room into an alternate word…!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1: Almost Rage Quitting at the Start of the Journey!  
**

 **Part 1**

I found myself standing in the middle of a street.

"...So this is a parallel world?!"

Unable to contain my excitement, my eyes wandered the place.

Already I saw a person with long ears and elvish facial traits.

There were even those with animal ears and tails.

The architecture of the buildings were also like medieval Europe.

There were no cars or electric lines or any sign of modern technology.

"Wah… It's just starting to hit me… A parallel world, huh?"

Faced with the sight of a parallel world that I thought belonged only in manga and anime, I became overwhelmed with sentimental feelings.

It took a while for these feelings of euphoria to subside.

"...Right, goddess-sama advised me to head to the Adventurer's Guild."

The place where fellow adventurers go for work or to unwind after a long day of questing.

In games, it's also where you pick your class or recruit people to join your party.

Apparently, those same RPG mechanics exist in this world.

That's what goddess-sama said.

"...So cool…!"

Still giddy from excitement, I headed over to the guild with a skip in my step.

"...Ah, wait… I don't even know where it is…"

I've already come across my first obstacle.

Looking around, there were many people I could ask for directions.

For a NEET like me who has no social skills, a simple task like asking for directions is already difficult.

Still, if I wander around like a tourist, some delinquent types might take advantage of me.

While kids around my age is too frightening of a challenge for me, I found a grandpa who didn't seem too threatening.

I approached him.

"Um… Excuse me… I'm new around here and I want to know where the Adventurer's Guild is located…"

The grandpa was manning a stall and cooking some strange looking meat in a skewer.

"Ah, another newcomer. We've been getting a lot of those lately, but this is the town of novice adventurers, so it's not strange for a bunch of young, opportunistic guys like you to come here, is it? Bwahahah!"

The grandpa laughed like he said something funny.

He gave me the directions and was kind enough to even offer me a skewer.

I wasn't particularly hungry but it was a good chance to try out this world's cuisine.

"...Yummy!"

It was a bit tough to chew, a bit gamey, but the seasoning and the smoky flavor was delicious.

"This is a specialty of Axel! Fried toad leg skewer!"

"O-Oh, I see…"

Fried toad legs, huh?

...I suppose that wasn't too strange or exotic.

If he had said something like 'you're eating fried human flesh right now!' I don't think I would have been able to live in this parallel world.

After finishing the skewer and thanking the old man, I followed his directions to the guild.

It didn't take long to find it.

The Adventurer's Guild…

A rather large establishment.

The sounds of loud laughter and jeering could be heard from inside.

I expected to see a bunch of burly warrior types drinking beer and harassing the female servers.

Boasting about their accomplishments in the battlefield and in the bedroom.

"Here I go…"

I opened the doors.

Inside, the smell of cooked food and alcohol wafted over to me.

"Ah… An unfamiliar face. Please go to the counter if you're looking for work. If you're hungry, take a seat. A server will be with you shortly…!"

A girl in a waitress outfit greeted me.

Inside, some of those rowdy adventurers I envisioned looked over.

They gave some nods of greeting but didn't pay any more attention than that.

I wouldn't know what to do if they started acting hostile towards the newcomer.

After nodding back to those who greeted me, I made my way to the counter.

There were two lines available.

One huge line was directed towards a beautiful onee-san while the smaller line led to a girl with short brown hair.

Aside from some freckles on her cheeks, there was nothing distinctive about her.

I can understand why the men would line up for the beautiful onee-san.

She was a gentle beauty with wavy hair and large breasts.

But as a lolicon, I just didn't find her all that appealing.

Not enough that I'd tolerate a longer wait time.

So I made my way to the other line.

The line soon diminished. I walked up to the freckled girl.

"Welcome to Axel's adventurer's guild! How may I help you?"

"...Hello. I am interested in becoming an adventurer…"

I hope she won't ask me to expand on that.

If she asked me something as simple as 'why?', I couldn't give a good reason.

It seems like an easy way to charm some young girls!

Of course I can't say that.

Thankfully, she didn't question me any further.

"First, I should summarize the duties of an adventurer. The most elementary task of an adventurer is to eliminate the monsters and any other forms of danger that threaten the ordinary civilians. Most work is provided in the form of quests. Some quests require the specific talents of a 'class' or 'profession'. With the help of the guild, we can determine which of these classes is appropriate for you and your latent abilities… Ah, before that, there is a small fee…"

After paying the fee of 1,000 Eris, with 'Eris' being the currency of this world, the girl gave me a card.

"Please touch this card and your abilities will be evaluated..."

Finally, here it is…

Even though I wasn't initially very interested in the RPG elements of this world, I couldn't help but be excited.

With my heart beating in excitement, I touched the card.

The girl asked to look at it.

But when she did, a strange expression came over her face.

"...What is it?"

Don't tell me something like 'lolicon' or 'pervert' showed up in my class description?

"...Please forgive my rudeness, but I suggest that you consider another profession aside from adventurer…"

I thought that I finally escaped the cruelties of the adult world.

But even something so realistic like this followed me in an RPG-esque parallel world.

It was like going to an employment center only for them to say you are underqualified for even the most menial work.

"...As you can see here… Your physical stats… Strength, Agility, Vitality, and Speed… All of them are drastically below average…"

My IRL levels of fitness were translated to this world.

The body that was easily beaten by an old woman would predictably score very low.

No matter. I can still make this work.

If my body is weak, I have no choice but to rely on my quick wits and intelligence.

"...Not only that, but your Magic, Intelligence and even Luck, which isn't even important to an adventurer, are all very low…"

Just go ahead and say that I belong in the trash can.

While doing her best to avoid meeting my eyes, she slipped me the Eris pieces I paid for the fee.

"...Don't worry. I'll at least give you a refund… No, here's some extra money, too. Don't worry, it's all out of my pocket…"

"No, I don't need the extra money…"

"I insist…"

"..."

Does this girl want me to cry?

No, I shouldn't give up yet.

I'm sure that the goddess-sama who sent me considered this already.

That's what the O.P. perks are for.

To make a weak otaku like me powerful and capable in this fantasy world.

"...I'll take the most basic class available, then."

"...Actually even the most basic Adventurer class has minimum requirements, which you don't meet..."

Is this girl saying that I'm not qualified for even the weakest class?

"T-Tell you what… You can keep the card, at least. Even if you don't have a class and can't learn any skills, you can at least keep track of your experience points. That way, if you level up, some of your physical attributes might increase as well…"

She frantically looked around before leaning over to me.

"...Please don't tell anyone I'm doing this. I'm not allowed to give out blank cards to those who don't meet the bare minimum requirements, but…"

...But she felt pity for the poor me.

That's what she's saying.

I should be insulted by her condescension.

But I could tell this girl is just being nice.

Nonetheless, to think my life in this world would start like this.

"...Thanks anyways."

"N-No problem…"

I took the card from the receptionist girl who was still avoiding my gaze.

"...If you do intend to pursue a career in adventuring… Then the next step is to find a party."

I am expected to recruit a party when I am class-less?

I guess there's no harm in trying.

I thanked her again for going so far to accommodate me.

Even though I'm in this pathetic state, I still have the Demon Blade Muramase.

Aside from the embarrassing chuuni name, it was undoubtedly very powerful.

It had the most attack power out of all the weapons goddess-sama presented.

If I can build up my attributes, I can register for a class soon.

And with this O.P. weapon, it's not like I need to rely on the newbie class skills available at low levels.

As directed, I went over to the message board.

Mixed in among the various quest postings were recruitment posters.

Most of the recruitment posters were asking for the talents of specific classes.

Those with ability in magic or healing were the most requested.

But there are also parties that have no specific requirements.

Probably they are noobs who are starting out and are in no position to be choosy.

If that's the case, I should target these people.

I can lie about my class and let my O.P. weapon do all the work.

"...I'll choose this one…!"

With this resolution, I ripped out a recruitment poster from the message board.

 **Part 2**

"Ah. So you're the guy."

"...Y-Yes… I am…"

"Hm? Why are you stuttering. No need to be shy."

"S-Sure. Thank you."

I contacted one of the parties who put up a recruitment poster.

They met with me an hour later.

And so now I am sitting at a table with kids around my age.

Two somewhat good looking guys who were dressed like frontline fighters.

One had a battle axe that needed two hands to wield. He had it slung over his shoulder, held there by a strap.

The other guy had a longsword sheathed to his belt.

The last member was a girl with two daggers sheathed by her hips.

Unlike the other two who wore iron chest plating, she wore protective leather armor that covered her vitals. Underneath, she wore a tight body suit.

"...T-That's quite the weapon you got there… You don't look like a fighter but you have such an amazing weapon!"

"He has black hair and black eyes. It must mean that he's one of those people from a faraway country who have special abilities and powerful weapons…"

He must be referring to the other reincarnated Japanese who came here.

"Not all of them carry around powerful weapons. That guy, Scum-zuma, has no such powerful ability or weapon to speak of. All he's good at is causing a disturbance and stealing the panties of innocent girls!"

This girl mentioned something very interesting.

"Um, this Scum-zuma person…"

"It's not important. It's best not to associate with someone like him."

Looking a bit disgusted, the girl hurried to change the subject.

They finally introduced themselves.

The fellow with the axe was named Job, the one with the long sword was Keen, and the girl's name was Belle.

I introduced myself in turn, but they didn't to find my foreign name too strange.

It seems they are accustomed to having Japanese with weird foreign names around.

After introductions were made, they didn't waste any time in testing my worth.

First they told me to buy a new set of armor.

I had come to this world wearing a sweaty hoodie and joggers.

I received some money from goddess-sama but that only served to cover the registration fee, and some food I ordered while I waited for this group to arrive.

"...I see, that's all you have? You're a beginner so I normally wouldn't expect you to have enough Eris to buy decent armor… I just assumed that was the case since you have that awesome sword. In that case, I guess we can lend you a hand-me-down."

Job and Keen didn't have any armor that fit me. I had to borrow an old leather armor set from Belle.

It was a bit tight but it fits well.

The guys found it funny that an armor set that was tailored to a woman's body fits me so well.

But aside from that they didn't harass me too much about it.

It was all good-spirited teasing.

I was starting to develop a good feeling about this party.

They were a bit crude but still friendly.

They have the atmosphere of a true adventuring party.

Just as I was thinking that, they led me to an open area.

A grassy field that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

The land was flat except for places where small hills protruded.

The air was light and carried the scent of grass.

"We'll go easy on you. These guys are the weakest monsters around here, Giant Toads. Normally, they don't come out at this time of the year, but due to certain… Disturbances… They've come out much earlier than anticipated."

Giving me a straightforward explanation that seemed ripped off from the dialogue of a tutorial NPC, was Job.

He seemed to be the leader of the group but it was hard to tell.

I suppose they had a fluid arrangement in terms of who called the shots.

"We'll help you just in case, but you should have an easy time with these guys.

That's right. There's no way these tutorial fodder can overpower my sword.

"There they are. They are fairly weak but you're a beginner. Don't overestimate yourself and take it easy."

After giving me some solid advice, Job patted me on the back.

"Go get 'em, rookie!"

"If you kill three or more I'll treat you to something!"

This feeling of belonging…

As a reclusive NEET, it's been a long time since I've had these warm feelings.

I must not disappoint my new friends.

I turned to my opponents.

Two of them were lazing about in the distance, but there was one that I had already started to aggro.

...Wait, aren't they kinda big?

With a name like 'Giant Toads' I suppose this is expected, but…

N-No matter.

These guys are on the same level as goblins and slimes.

Insignificant mob monsters whose only purpose is to provide experience points.

"Here I come!"

Reaching back to grip the handle of Demon Sword Murasame, I charged at the first toad…!

Still watching me carefully, the toad only tilted its head to the side.

Not even registering the danger, how domesticated is this monster?

Rather than a monster, it's more like livestock.

Seeing that made me even more confident.

"Oraaa!"

From behind me I heard the others cheering.

"Go for it, Yuji!"

"Kill 'em, Yuji!"

"Oi, hurry up and finish this so we can celebrate, Yuji!"

Uwa~ Really? First name basis already?

You guys are really…!

"Watch me carefully! Here I go!"

My confidence hitting an all time high, I drew my sword…!

Raising it to the heavens…!

The red gleam of the sword majestically shone in the sunlight…!

"...Eh?"

Wait…

"...Eh… Eh…?"

Even though I'm lifting it with two hands, isn't this sword really heavy?

"Gah!"

Unable to deal with the weight, the sword tipped back behind me and I was dragged along with it.

"Oof!"

I fell on my back, but I maintained my grip on the sword.

"Yuji?! What's wrong?! Do you need support?!"

Job yelled at me as he drew closer.

"...N-No, it's OK! Sorry, I just tripped a little! Tee-hee!"

"...That's fine but be careful… And don't ever make that 'tee-hee' sound again, it's disturbing."

That didn't go as planned but I can always get back up and start again.

The Giant Toad was drawing nearer now. Approaching me slowly.

It's slimy exterior gleamed in the sunlight.

In this close distance, I could see it's black, empty eyes.

...S-Scary!

Is this really the weakest mob monster around here?!

Panicking slightly, I made to lift Demon Blade Muramase once more…

"...Eh?"

It wouldn't budge.

"Gah… Yah…! Ahhh…!"

"...What are you doing, Yuji?"

Job and the others were looking at me with concern.

This sword… No matter how I pull it… It just won't budge!

Is it stuck on something?

I knelt down to examine it, but it didn't seem to be stuck on anything.

"...Grrrr…!"

I kept trying to lift this stupid sword…!

Eventually, the others decided to approach me.

"...Is it stuck on something? Here, let me help."

Keen reached for the pommel. I let go and let him have a shot.

"...Um, here it is…"

Easily lifting it with one hand, Keen offered me the sword.

"...H-How peculiar. It wouldn't budge when I tried! Thanks, Keen…"

As soon as he handed me the sword, the blade fell to the ground again.

"Gah!"

I fell along to the weight of the sword once more…

Wait… Is that it?

It's weight… It was too heavy for me?!

I knew my physical attributes were low but was it really this bad?!

"...Maybe Yuji isn't feeling well. For now we should just retreat… Gah…?!"

Just as Belle spoke, she made a sudden cry at the end of her sentence.

...Pink flesh wrapped around her waist.

I turned towards the toad…

...Watching us with its cold, lifeless eyes…

S-Scary! Too scary!

"Help me!"

The tongue was snatched back to the gaping mouth of the toad and Belle was pulled along with it.

It made a 'nom' sound and swallowed Belle up to her legs…!

She started kicking with her legs but her screams were muffled inside the toad's mouth.

"...Belle! Don't get eaten!"

The other two rushed towards her with weapons drawn.

I tried to do the same but I could barely drag this stupid chuuni sword with me!

Damn this thing!

This thing straight out of a chuunibyou fantasy is hindering my chances to make friends...

It's like my dark history is repeating itself all over again!

Eventually, Job and Keen made short work of the toad.

In the hands of real adventurers, these things were nothing more than fodder.

Afterwards, we all convened together.

Belle was sopping wet with digestive fluids and had lost one of her daggers in the struggle.

She didn't seem so cheerful anymore.

"Um… This might be a bit rude of me, but can I see your adventurer's card, Yuji?"

So it finally came to this.

I thought I could hide behind the power of my perk.

But to think that this fantasy world would have this level of realism.

Having a powerful weapon but not having the prerequisite stats to equip it.

No, even a low-levelled fighter like Keen was able to wield it.

Not having a choice on the matter, I silently handed over my card.

"...Thanks… Now let's see… Eh?"

Job looked at the card. The same strange expression the receptionist girl had came over his face.

"...Not only are your stats this low, you don't even have a class? Why did the staff let you have this blank card? Or… Don't tell me you stole it?"

"...Job, it's OK. The poor guy is already having a rough time, it seems."

Belle tried to touch Job on the shoulder but he reflexively flinched from her slimy hand.

"...Oi."

"...Sorry, but you're kinda really gross right now."

I looked down to my feet.

"Sorry, everyone. I should have mentioned this earlier."

"...I understand why you wouldn't. It's alright. We won't take it personally."

I looked up to see that Keen was grinning at me.

So too were Belle and finally, Job relented and allowed himself to smile.

"Y-You guys! Does that mean I can join your…!"

"Not a chance."

"...R-Right. I understand."

...This much is expected.

Even the kindest of people have their limits.

 **Part 3**

Keen was considerate enough to carry the sword for me as we made our way back to town.

He assured me that if I raised my strength enough, I'd be able to use it.

If he didn't encourage me so much, I would have just sold the damn thing and made some Eris from it.

"...Um, it's not much, and I hope you won't be insulted, but here's some Eris… It's a tough world out there… Good luck."

"...Thanks."

Giving me money like that receptionist girl from earlier.

I don't understand why people feel compelled to give me money.

Am I that pitiful?

Keen inserted the sword to its sheath, at my back.

Only when I wasn't 'equipping' it, could I carry the damn thing.

So it wasn't that the sword itself was especially heavy, the pesky RPG mechanics of this world was to blame.

I am not only class-less, but the perk that was supposed to be my lifeline and last hope was rendered useless.

No, I'm misdirecting.

It's not that the sword is useless.

That term can only be applied to me.

Damn it!

I thought that reincarnating into this world was an escape from my IRL troubles.

But those same miseries were only amplified as soon as I arrived into this world.

Why did I even come here, anyways?

Oh, that's right. I was thirsty for some underaged girls.

I'm beginning to realize the fallacy in my logic, though.

Just because the age of consent was lower in this world, doesn't mean that my chances to attract women, of any age, will magically increase.

Even in this world, the unattractive Beta males are forced to go 'fap, fap, fap' by their lonesome.

There are many things, but I feel that a lot of my problems stem from my being a lolicon.

The reason why I shut myself off from society probably had to do with this accursed condition.

Thinking back, I convinced myself that I was being brave.

Going against the norms of society.

I am 'counter-culture'. I said such pretentious things.

But the truth is, I likely feared rejection more than anything.

Fear of people judging me for my tastes.

And in the end, my fears were confirmed when my own mother beat me to death because of them.

"Ah… What am I doing? I rarely get introspective, so why start now?"

The others had dropped me off at the guild.

The money that they gave me, which I should be saving, went into the purchase of alcohol.

I've never once consumed anything alcoholic in my life.

But after achieving only a light buzz, I don't know why I hadn't started drinking earlier.

While sipping on beer, I've already started reverting back to my NEET tendencies.

Doing nothing, idling around.

But, at that moment…

...Appearing in my moment of despair like an angel…

"...No matter how many times you insist, we can't do something that dangerous."

"That creature has the nerve to call itself with a cool name like 'One-shot Bear'. It's time to settle things between us. Let us see which of us deserves the name of 'One-shot'... It will be his fangs versus my explosion magic…"

"It's not like the bear named itself… That's not how it works! And I'm telling you, even if we are ridden in debt, I will never be desperate enough to fight a monster with such a dangerous name!"

Huddling around the message board was a party.

A party of three beautiful girls and one boy.

The girls were all very pretty.

But, I was fixated on only one of those girls.

A loli…!

And a beautiful one, too…!

A small girl with short dark hair.

She wore garments you'd associate with a mage. A witch's hat and a cloak, all black.

As I looked closer, I saw that her uncovered pupil had an unnatural color.

The eye that wasn't covered by an eyepatch seemed to be glowing a startling red.

They made a lot of noise and had to be rebuked by the big breasted receptionist onee-san.

I was too enraptured by this beautiful specimen of a loli to hear anything of what they were arguing about, though.

The moment was fleeting.

The party soon went on their way.

My eyes followed her until they left the guild.

"...I have to keep trying."

This must have been a sign from the gods.

An angel sent to me from heaven.

Don't give up and your efforts will be rewarded.

That was the message sent to me.

I downed the last of my beer and headed straight to the counter.

Going back to the brown-haired, freckled girl who serviced me earlier.

"Eh?! Oh, it's you…"

Startled by my sudden entry, she flinched slightly.

I'm sure that unpleasant reaction didn't come from any feelings of distaste.

"...What do you need?"

"...I'm looking for work…"

During our walk back, Job told me all about the rough lifestyle of adventurers.

Due to recent happenings, more and more work was available for the adventurers of this town.

In fact, dangerous quests that no one wanted to do like that One-shot Bear quest the party from earlier was arguing about, started piling up.

Interestingly, these were called 'Durian quests'. Work that no one wanted to deal with.

As such, those adventurers who have been steadily raising their levels for some time are earning a bit of wealth.

But for rookie adventurers, life was still tough.

Without a reliable source of income outside of low-paying kill quests, the quality of life for those starting out is, quite frankly, atrocious.

Conditions of life that would equate to a third-world country experience.

Sleeping in stables since inns and hotels were too pricey. Adventuring is also a nomadic kind of career. It is rare for a party to ever settle in one place.

So, almost no pay and no guarantee of a secure place of residence.

As such, Job advised me to hold off on the questing for a while and build up some funds with normal part-time work.

There's construction work as the wall around the town needed to be rebuilt after a catastrophic flood.

There's also lighter work available, like selling croquettes by the street.

I was advised that there's also other easy ways to earn money, but some of them seemed pretty sketchy to me.

My body is already frail. Something like testing experimental potions from the town's alchemist would surely kill me.

"...Considering it's you, Fukushima-san… This sort of work should be appropriate…"

After flipping through some documents, the receptionist girl gave me a sheet of paper.

"...I see. Selling croquettes it is, huh?"

"Yes… One of the ladies operating a croquette stall got fed up with one of their workers, it seems. So there's a spot open if you're interested…"

"..."

Even though the construction site is actively recruiting workers, she gave me work like this.

I don't want to do hard labor, anyways. I should be glad that I can get such easy work.

I thanked this receptionist girl who has been helping me out since I arrived and set off to meet my new employer.

 **Part 4**

"Huff… Huff… Huff…!"

"This is ridiculous! You've only been fanning those croquettes for two minutes and you're already so tired?! Oi, this better not be some advanced technique you youngsters developed as an excuse to slack off! Get moving!"

"Yes, ma'am… Huff… Huff… Huff…"

"And stop with that 'Huff… Huff… Huff!' It's creepy! You've already scared away so many female customers who thought you were some sexual harasser!"

Even if I do something so simple as breathing, it's enough to creep people out, huh?

My heart will break at this rate.

"That guild has been sending me nothing but idiots! What's so hard about fanning, huh?! Here, give me that! Just go hold up that sign and try to attract customers… Actually never mind. Keep fanning!"

Damn this old lady!

There's a limit to how much you can insult someone!

But she's the one paying me, so I just have to do as I'm told.

I kept fanning. This time, breathing through my nose.

Taking out the deep fried croquettes from the wok and using a simple paper fan to cool them down.

There's so much steam and smoke that it's making me sweat through my clothes.

And the oil that had evaporated into the smoke began clinging onto my skin, making it break out.

This is the fantasy world equivalent to a minimum wage gig at some fast food joint.

To someone who's never had a proper job in their life, this is torture.

"Keep fanning! If a kid burns their tongue eating those, we'll build up a bad reputation, you know?! I'm known around here as the friendly grandma who runs the croquette stall, you know?!"

Friendly grandma, who? All I see is some bitter, old hag.

Despite my misgivings, the old lady does most of the work.

This lady looked like she should be laying down in the coffin already, but she's still working hard.

"..."

I should try hard, too.

"Uwohh!"

"...C-Calm down. It's not like your job is hard. I shouldn't even be paying you for this. But I understand that this level of effort is already a lot for you, so try your best, I guess."

The old lady's stern face softened a little when she saw me try my best.

And so, in this way, I got myself some fairly easy work since the croquette stall lady ending up pitying me.

I say 'fairly easy' from a normal person's standpoint. But like I said, even a little bit of work is torture for me.

…

...

I didn't really know what to do with Demon Blade Murasame.

I didn't want to carry it around everywhere, so I asked the receptionist girl to look after it for me.

It was now safely stored away in the guild's storage room.

Taking advantage of that girl's kindness, I felt a little bit of shame.

I could have sold that useless heap of metal. If I did so, I wouldn't need to work so hard.

But I'm still holding onto the hope that I can wield it someday.

I also considered loaning it to Keen, since he fought with a sword. But I remembered the goddess-sama explain how only I could use that blade. In another person's hands, it was just a normal sword.

So for now it was in the receptionist girl's safe keeping.

Working at the croquette stall in the day.

Afterwards, using a bit of my pay to buy the cheapest meal in the guild.

Sometimes, I would chat with the receptionist girl during her breaks.

I could tell that I was just being a bother, but it's incredibly lonely being by myself in this alien world.

And then at night I'd head over to the stables.

The stables that smelled of horse dung.

You could also hear the male adventurers from neighboring stalls taking care of their 'business'.

It was awkward trying to do my 'business' when I can clearly hear everyone else try to do theirs.

Soon, though, I became comfortable joining the chorus of 'fap, fap, fap'.

I even tried to make a game out of synchronizing with the guy next to me.

During my business, I tried to use that beautiful loli as my 'material'.

I couldn't make myself do it in the end.

She is my muse, my inspiration.

I will not defile her with the seed of a despicable lolicon.

This may not seem much, but I was proud of this conviction.

...Eventually, without my awareness, a month passed.

I thought I would make enough money to take care of my day-to-day expenses for a while.

As it turns out, I made just enough to barely survive.

At this point, I will be doomed to live the life of a perpetual part-time slave.

...But, is this life really all that bad?

Despite my early misgivings, the croquette stall lady is not that bad.

She gives me my pay on time and bails me out when I'm in the red.

Even though all I do is fan her croquettes.

Working hard in the day, enjoying a simple meal and then having a good night's sleep.

Instead of risking my life fighting dangerous monsters, that doesn't seem so bad.

At times I even forgot that I was sent here to defeat the Demon King.

I never especially wanted to be an adventurer, anyways…

Seeking out fame and fortune…

Forming a harem of lolis…

I might have had dreams like that.

But, I should just accept the reality of things...

And then, one night…

It happened while I was intently listening to the 'fap, fap, fap' of the guy next to me.

Trying to match my strokes with his.

"...Wait a minute…"

And that's when I realized…

As if I suddenly became aware of my situation.

A state of self-awareness came over me.

Here I was in a stinking stall with a bunch of other dudes just a few feet away doing their 'business'.

Working a dead end job and eating just enough to meet the minimal daily caloric requirements.

Mooching from an old woman who does the brunt of the hard labor.

Relying on the kindness and pity of a meek girl who doesn't have the heart to refuse my company.

I'm pathetic, I've always been.

But…

"...This is wrong!"

"Oi, quiet down over there!"

The dude next to me smacked the thin stalls separating us.

I can't take it anymore!

I stood up and released what I had been holding back for a month…!

"No, you quiet down! How many times a night do you go 'fap, fap, fap', anyways?! I stop after half an hour of it, and so does everyone else, but doesn't it seem like you go 'fap, fap, fap' for pretty much the whole night?! Aren't you exhausted?! Get some sleep! Or maybe you don't have any work and all you do all day is go 'fap, fap, fap'?! Some of us have to work, you know?! We don't have the leisure to just go 'fap, fap, fap' all day and all night like you! So have some consideration!"

"...S-Sorry. I'm just… I wouldn't be like this if I could afford to go to the succubus shop everyday, you know?"

I feel like he just mentioned something important, but I was in the middle of an epiphany.

"...I'm tired of living like this. It's not like I particularly have any desire to work as an adventurer, but to someone like me who has little to no skill set, that kind of mercenary work might be my best way to earn some money. Yeah, that's right…"

I stroked my chin in thought.

As I was considering my future plans, I heard a peculiar sound from the next stall.

It wasn't the usual 'fap, fap, fap'.

It was a whining 'wah, wah, wah' sound.

"Wah, wah, wah! ...Y-You're right… Spending everyday like this… Going 'fap, fap, fap' all day and night… Not only is it bad for my health, I should really just get a real job! Wah, wah, wah!"

The dude next to me is also coming to a similar conclusion.

"Yeah… I never thought of it that way…"

"...I'm sick of living here, too! I want to make a lot of money and have a pretty girlfriend!"

"I want a nice, two-story house!"

"I've always dreamed of opening a bakery shop… But my papa called me a pansy..."

Inspired by my words, the men around me were rejuvenated into following the dreams they abandoned.

"...Fap, Fap, Fap… Oi, Can you guys shut up?! I'm doing my business here! Fap, fap, fap."

"...S-Sorry…"

That one guy killed the mood a little… But I was still inspired!

It might have taken a month to do so, but I will now, definitely, try my best in this fantasy world!

 **Part 5**

"...I-I thought you already gave up on being an adventurer, Yuji-san?"

The receptionist girl looked at me in disbelief when I shared my plans with her.

"...I already sent my resignation letter to the croquette stall lady earlier this week. She's already found someone else to take over my job, so I'm already unemployed."

"...Why do you sound so calm when you say that?! This is terrible! The construction of the wall is almost in its final stages, I don't think I can find work for you in this small amount of time!"

I'm glad that she has this much concern for me, but the lack of trust in my abilities is a bit disheartening.

...Now that I think about it, this girl might be my only real acquaintance outside of the croquette stall lady and Job and the others.

...But… Do I even know her name?

How come this only just occurred to me?!

I guess I've been going with the flow so much in the past month that such important things slipped my notice!

Can something like that even happen?!

Ah, crap…

I'm pretty sure she already told me her name.

You can't go one month of being acquainted to someone without at least introducing yourself once.

"Um… Yuji-san…? Are you…"

She began saying something but I ignored her.

No, there's also the possibility that we never just got around to it.

Yeah, that's right… I consider myself an attentive person.

"...I think right now, just to help you out, I…"

Hm? Is she saying something? Well, it's probably not that important.

Anyways...

I'm a perceptive person, and I consider myself a good listener.

I don't think I would have missed out on her name. It's not like we're super close, so it really just might be possible that she just never bothered to tell me.

"Oh? Ah, is that you RXXXX-chan? Long time no see…!"

"Hm? Oh, hello! Yes, it's been awhile…"

...I think the receptionist girl is talking to some other girl, an old friend, I better not eavesdrop.

...Wait a minute…

Didn't I just hear her name there?!

Yes, I did hear it, but somehow I missed it?!

"Um… It seems like you're with someone already so I'll catch up with you later…"

"Oh, right. It's good to see you again!"

The other girl who was my only chance to hear the name come up in casual conversation suddenly went away.

"...Ah, sorry for that interruption, Yuji-san. So, about my suggestion, would you be willing to go through with it?"

Huh? What's she talking about?

There's no way I would have missed it. I'm a very attentive person.

"...Well, I understand why you might be a bit hesitant and doubtful, but I was an adventurer before I worked here in the guild. I got a bit of an injury, though, so I had to retire. Ah, nothing serious! I just have a bit of a limp when I walk but that's it. It's hardly noticeable, so you probably didn't even notice, right?"

She stood and walked away from the table and then came back.

There was a slight hobble to her step, but like she said, I barely noticed it.

"So, I can still fight! I was level 7 before I got injured. I probably could have come out of retirement once I recovered, but I guess I got too comfortable with this desk job since it pays well and has good benefits. And it's not dangerous unlike the work of an adventurer. But, seeing Yuji-san like this… Pursuing your dreams despite your… erm… L-Limitations, has really inspired me! My passion for adventuring is returning to me!"

She clenched her hands into fists as she made this declaration.

"...I see… That's good to hear. But what does that have to do with me?"

"Eh? Um, I offered to help you grind up levels, at least until you're strong enough. I have enough money saved up that I can take a couples weeks leave. I will train you until the end of my leave."

She nodded resolutely and smiled at me, a small dimple appearing on her freckled left cheek.

"R-Really?! Will you really do something like that for me?! Uwa… Receptio… I mean, you're really kind!"

Crap, I almost said 'receptionist girl'.

"It's no problem! It's a guild employee's job to look after rookie adventurers after all! This is just what's expected of me!"

This deal sounds too good to be true.

If this girl is level 7, then I should be able to power grind close to her level after a few weeks of training.

But… Can I really take advantage of the kindness of this girl who's name I can't even recall?

Just as I was thinking about this, I happened to look over to a man sitting by the table next to ours.

We made eye-contact.

I recognized him as one of my stable roomies.

The sound of 'fap, fap, fap' suddenly echoed through my head.

"...Then, I will be in your care…"

"Yup! Please rely on me!"

Screw my morality.

I don't care if I'm completely exploiting the kindness of this girl...

I refuse to go back to that kind of 'fap, fap, fap' lifestyle!

 **Part 6**

-The Giant Toad breeding grounds-

I found myself in this place again.

"Did you check your equipment, Yuji-san?"

Beside me was the receptionist girl.

Over her usual guild uniform, she wore a navy blue cloak with a hood.

Her equipment consisted of a quiver of arrows and a shortbow.

She also had a satchel that hung by her side, which she told me contained some medical supplies.

I looked down at my new equipment.

A leather armor set similar to the one Belle loaned me.

As well as a shiny new dagger that was light enough for even me to wield.

I was also given a basic leather shield buckle. It was used more for deflecting light attacks than directly absorbing heavy damage.

When they found out that I was trying my hand at adventuring again, Job's party came to wish me luck.

They even bought me a new set of basic equipment with the reward money from their most recent quest.

"...We feel bad for just ditching you like that. Adventuring is a hard profession, but some days it's worthwhile. I hope you have a lot of worthwhile days ahead of you."

I shook hands with all of them.

They didn't have to do all that. I was the one who tricked them.

"Here… In case you get hungry…"

Even the croquette stall lady came by and handed me a picnic basket full of croquettes.

"...I-It's not like I made those for you or anything… Dummy…!"

...To think the first tsundere I'd encounter in this world is an old lady.

Nonetheless, I was grateful.

Call it pity or whatever, but if it wasn't for the help of these people, I wouldn't have been able to survive in this world.

"...I'm all set."

After inspecting my equipment, I nodded to Receptionist girl-san.

Even though I don't know her name, I should refer to her with respect.

This girl who is doing so much for me.

In reality I should be calling her Receptionist girl-sama...!

"What I intend to do is use the archer skill 'Crippling Shot' on the toad's legs. This will disable the toad's mobility. Then what we need to do is wait for the tongue to come out. It will do this as an act of desperation. We will stand near enough that it will think it can get us, but it will just over-extend it's reach. It will then recoil it's tongue and it won't be able to attack for a few more seconds. That's when Yuji-san will charge in and slice the toad's tongue off. I will provide long-range support if need be."

To think that such careful planning is needed for even the weakest fodder.

I wasn't confident that I could slice the toad's tongue off with my weak stats, but apparently, while the outside of the toad is strong against physical attacks, the insides are very weak.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be considered weak mob monsters, but instead as demigods.

...With Receptionist girl-san's help, I should be able to level up quickly.

It didn't take long for us to spot our first prey.

A somewhat smaller toad than the one I faced with Job's party.

This young one with undeveloped instincts should make easy prey.

Even if I screw up, this young one won't be able to capitalize on it.

After taking some precautions and stalking it for a while, Receptionist girl-san decided it was time to strike.

"...Now!"

With that simple command, Receptionist girl-san quickly loaded her bow and drew it…!

Rapidly firing one arrow after another, she hit all four legs…!

Isn't… Isn't she quite reliable…?!

As I was looking at this reliable girl in awe, she was giving me some kind of hand signal.

"...Yuji-san! You're too close!"

"...Eh?"

Oh, right. I forgot that the next part of the plan was to dodge the tongue.

"Yuji-san…!"

Before I could move, the tongue already lashed out and snared me by the ankles!

"Gahhh…! Receptionist girl-sama! Save me please…!"

"Yuji…! Huh? Receptionist girl...?"

Oh, crap. I let it slip.

"Wah…! Nooo…!"

I was quickly being dragged across the grass to this toad's mouth.

It's jaw was unhinged and gaping wide open. Strings of saliva drooped down from the roof of it's mouth down to it's tongue.

"Help me…!"

"Yuji-san! Don't panic! If it doesn't trap you in it's mouth, you can still attack!"

If I let this thing swallow me, I won't have room to use my dagger.

So… Before then…!

Thankfully, I still had the dagger in my grasp.

In fact, I was holding on to it so tightly that my knuckles became white.

As I was drawing closer to the toad's mouth, so close I could smell it's putrid breath…

...I readied my arm to strike…!

Something came over me…

I wouldn't exactly call it an adrenaline rush.

My adrenaline's been pumping before we even entered the grounds.

I guess… If I were to define it…

...Something like the 'spirit of adventure'?

"...Hah…. Hiyah…!"

Impassioned by the flames of my hopes and ambitions as an adventurer…

...Driven towards the days when the effort and the struggle are made worthwhile!

...With my heart and soul beating, I slashed down with all my might…!

"Take this, you disgusting monster! The passion of my soul! I'll rip that nasty tongue right off…!"

Slash!

A spurt of blood!

"Guwoohhh…"

Making a deep sound, I felt the life slowly come out from the toad.

It's hold on my ankle loosened until I collapsed on the ground.

"...Y-Yuji-san…! Y-You did it…!"

Indeed… I did…

...Well, I couldn't slice the tongue right off like I intended to…

...Really, I just made a small wound.

But… That seemed to be enough to kill this youngling.

Despite that…

A feeling of accomplishment...

I felt Receptionist girl-san's hands around my arms as she pulled me up.

"That was splendid, Yuji-san! Do you have any wounds?"

"...Huff, Huff, Huff… I think my ankle is a bit bruised…"

Even though my 'huff, huff, huff' has been called creepy by the Croquette stall lady, I couldn't help my hard breathing.

Receptionist girl-san didn't seem to mind, though. In fact, she just seemed relieved that I made it out of that fine despite my terrible blunder.

She attended to my ankle while I basked in the warmth of my first victory.

"...Say, Yuji-san?"

"Hm?"

"...In the middle of the battle, you said something strange… Calling me Receptionist girl or something… Ehehe…"

She giggled shyly but isn't the bandaging around my ankle starting to tighten?

Actually, it hurts a little bit.

"...Oh, did I?"

"Yes… You did…"

I was really hoping she didn't hear that.

Although Receptionist girl-san has been the epitome of kindness so far, I think that even she has her limits.

Going so far to help a poor sod like me, only for the same poor sod to forget her name completely.

...If only to spare the feelings of this kind, decent girl, I should come up with some sort of lie.

Really, I'm not doing this because the bandaging around my ankle is starting to get really tight.

In fact, isn't my toes turning a bit purple?

That's not good.

"...It's like a nickname, of sorts. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, if it's just a nickname, that's fine! Though it's a rather odd nickname…"

"...In my homeland, we often use one's occupation as a nickname… Hence, receptionist girl-san. It's quite a cute nickname actually…"

"Ah… Is that so…? Well, then, if Yuji-san prefers, please continue calling me as such."

"Gladly."

That… That worked out perfectly.

Although, I do have to learn her name at some point.

But if I ask around, she might end up hearing about it.

F-For now I should just be content with my victory.

Even though I've only managed to kill one toad, we decided to end it early.

It was good enough for a first day.

Receptionist girl-san lent me her shoulder and we slowly hobbled our way through town.

Her with an old injury.

Me with my fresh one.

Ah… Walking home all battered and injured… How adventurer like!

Yeah… This life might not be so bad at all…!

 **Part 7**

"Receptionist girl-san. Please find another place for me to work."

"Yuji-san is giving up already?!"

A week of toad slaying has passed.

Though I honestly can't say who's doing the slaying. Me, or the toads.

"I feel a bit bad for receptionist girl-san since you worked so hard to help me. Thank you. I will be forever grateful. If I ever have a daughter, I'll name her after you."

Or so I say, but I still don't know her name.

"...If you're worrying about inconveniencing me, it's fine. Yuji-san is making steady progress. I still have one more week of leave. Let's keep working hard!"

To the undyingly optimistic receptionist girl-san, I took out my card and showed it to her.

She immediately averted her eyes.

"...Why can't you look at it? Please say 'Let's keep working hard!' again once you look at this."

"...T-That maybe so, but… I-It's hard for beginner adventurers to level up so…"

"Isn't it the exact opposite?! It's common sense that you should level quickly if you're low levelled, right?! But why have I only levelled once after a week of doing nothing but hunting toads! Every single day, having those empty, killer eyes staring at me… And all the slime and the stink… If I want to deal with 'slime' I'll go back to my 'fap, fap, fap' lifestyle! And as for the 'stink', there's plenty of that in the stables!"

"I get it! I've never seen this kind of slow level progression so I get it, Yuji-san! Just please don't lose your mind over it! And don't clutch your hair like that! You'll go bald!"

Without knowing it, I've began to grab onto my hair as if I was ripping it out.

When I let go, some hair follicles came off.

Ah, not good. Baldness runs in my family genetics. I should treasure every strand of hair.

"...I don't think I can take much more of this…"

"Yuji-san…"

Receptionist girl-san patted my shoulder comfortingly as I laid my head down on my arms.

After a while, the coolness of the table I was laying on soothed me.

"...For now… Let's order something. Ah, maybe Yuji-san needs an alcoholic beverage today… Yeah, something heavy…"

After another day of fruitless toad slaying, we went to the guild to unwind.

I had almost forgotten that I was in a public place and showed a display like to everyone here.

When I looked around, though, everyone seemed to be minding their business.

...Adventuring is a stressful job.

It might be that displays like this weren't uncommon.

So when it did happen, the best thing to do is look away, huh?

"Here's your order. Two sets of fried toad set meals. And here's the whisky."

A glass of whisky was handed over to me.

There were about two fingers of the drink.

"...I know Yuji-san isn't really a drinker, but I think you should have some…"

Relying on the bottle to destress… What am I, a corporate slave?

Nonetheless, since it was already there, I took a sip of it.

Something like fire escaped my nostrils…!

"Not all at once! Just take a few sips… Ah, I guess I should have ordered some ice, too."

I didn't really like the taste, but the buzz came on almost instantaneously.

"...This stuff is good… Can I have another…?"

"...Maybe just a bit more. But don't go overboard."

...I went overboard.

I don't remember anything of what happened afterwards.

The next morning…

I woke up to a piercing headache.

My body reeks of booze and my vision is swimming.

I was still wearing my gear from last night, making my collective stench even worse.

When I finally sat up, I saw a folded piece of paper next to my hay bedding.

 _Yuji-san,_

 _You drank a lot and passed out. Don't worry, you didn't cause much trouble. Job-san and his party helped me carry you to your stable… You're so light that Keen-san was enough to do the job._

 _When you wake up… If you still want to… I'll be waiting in the grounds. Just don't lose heart, Yuji-san._

 _Your dear friend,_

 _RoXXX_

"!"

Damn, it!

I could make out the first syllable but the rest was smudged with vomit!

She said that I didn't cause much trouble, and while there isn't any trace of vomit on my clothes, I must have caused a mess at one point...

I quickly washed myself down with the stable's communal bath water.

...And yes, it's as disgusting as it sounds.

Fully equipped, and sort of clean, I headed off to the grounds…

"...Yo, the star has finally arrived."

"Hey, we just got you that armor but it's already so beat up…?! Well, if you need repairs, I'll introduce you to a blacksmith who owes me a favor."

"Did you practice the dagger strokes I taught you? It's not good to just swing that thing around, you know?"

"...Y-You guys…"

Waiting for me at the grounds, fully equipped, was Job, Keen and Belle.

"Ara, Ara. To think that I'm missing out a day's worth of profit just for this kid… Goodness. Not like I can do much, but if you ever get hungry, I brought my equipment with me. I'll cook you up some nice croquettes. If it's too hot, you can even fan them yourself for old time's sake! Bwahahaha!"

"E-Even the croquette lady…"

"Oi, don't tell me you forgot my name…!"

...Another name I forgot.

"No, it's not like that! Apparently, that's just the way nicknames work where he's from! Isn't that right, Yuji-san?"

And finally, stepping out from behind Job and the others was my benefactor…

...RoXXX...

"Y-Yeah, something like that…"

"He doesn't look very certain!"

"I-In any case…! As you can see, Yuji-san, everyone is here to help you out!"

"Yeah… Thanks guys…"

Ah, what's with this?

Do they want me to cry?

"Alright, enough of this! Let's get started!"

Keen raised a first to the air.

"Apparently, Yuji really has no talent, huh? Well, we already knew that. This is nothing new! But, even if we have to kill every toad in this town, we'll make sure that you level up and become a decent adventurer!"

After offering words that managed to be insulting and kind at the same time, Belle winked at me.

"Yeah! I'm really pumped up now!"

"That's the spirit, Yuji-san! Well then, let's…!"

"Explosion…!"

"!"

A loud, booming force drowned out receptionist girl-san's words.

The force was so powerful that I was blown off my feet and fell on my butt!

"Ouch!"

A wave of heat washed over me as I saw a column of flame and destruction rise up into the air.

And then I saw her… The loli who was my muse… My angel…

No, in that moment, she looked demonic as hell!

Get that crazy girl away from me!

"Ah! It's her! It's the girl with the screws loose! And if she's here, then that panty stealing perv must have come along with her as well! Everyone, run!"

After getting all hyped up, we had to leave the grounds.

"Run…!"

Running for our lives from this demon of a girl who I had mistakenly identified as an angel.

 **Part 8**

"I-I'm glad to hear that Yuji-san hasn't given up after that disaster…"

"It was out of our hands. Nothing we can do."

Talking about that frightening girl as if she was a force of nature rather than a human being.

When I tried to enter the guild, I was kicked out by the staff.

It turns out that receptionist girl-san really was downplaying my night of drinking.

I wasn't told any specifics, but it was enough that I was banned from the guild for a few days.

Right now, we were walking along the streets of Axel.

The streets were bathed in the golden afternoon glow.

Kids were scurrying about and bothering the stall owners.

There was good security in this town, so the local guard was always present.

They were quite cordial, though, and would nod to you in greeting.

Some would even stop to ask if you needed any assistance.

"...For such a dangerous and rough world, the people here are so kind..."

I made this passing comment when we passed by a food stall owner who offered us a free sample of her cheese.

After savoring the cheese, receptionist girl-san turned to me and said,

"Is that so? Is it not like that in Yuji-san's country?"

"It depends who you ask, really."

"I'm asking Yuji-san right now, aren't I?"

When did this girl get so cheeky?

"...I guess in my country, kindness isn't really a natural instinct, if that makes sense. It's more like a means to an end… Again, it depends on who you ask."

"Is that why Yuji-san moved here?"

"Err…"

Honestly, I don't know how to respond.

If you asked me now why I'd want to reincarnate into this world…

...Instead of raving about little girls… I'd say I liked the food. I liked the fresh, uncontaminated air. I liked how most days feel like a grind, so when the days that come easy roll around, it feels like such a blissful reward.

"...I moved here 'coz I heard the fried toad legs were delicious."

"For such a simple reason?!"

She didn't seem to believe me, but she let it slide.

We ended up at a water fountain.

I didn't feel like wasting my precious Eris, so I didn't make a wish.

Receptionist girl-san sat on the cement platform.

"Ahh… I'm kinda tired. It's been a while since I walked around so much."

"Because of the injury?"

"I just didn't really have anyone to walk around with, I guess?"

"Ah…"

We both smiled.

"...It's unfortunate that Job-san and the others are moving to another city… But they are talented, so that much is expected."

"Unlike me, huh?"

"I-I didn't say that…!"

Job and the others were polite enough to officially register me to their roster.

But I knew that I'd just hold them back.

They would have to stay here in this town of beginners just to accommodate me.

I hope that I'll meet them again soon, though.

...From now on, I'll have less people to rely on.

No… That's not the right way of thinking.

I should learn how to be independent.

...Even now, I'm still troubling receptionist girl-san.

And why is she going so far in helping me, anyways?

Just as I was about to ask, however…

"...If we want to advance anywhere, finding more party members is necessary, huh?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

Wait, the way she said that…

"You're talking like you want to officially form a party with me. What about receptionist girl-san's work?"

"Didn't I tell you? I already sent my resignation letter to the guild earlier this week. They already found someone else to take over my job, so I'm already unemployed."

Throwing my words back at me, she winked and gave me a look that seemed to say 'don't worry about it'.

"...You don't have to go this far just to help me out…"

"And who said I'm doing this for Yuji-san? I told you, right? My passions for adventuring were rekindled. I don't even know why I gave it up in the first place."

She leaned down and rubbed her leg.

"Using my injury as an excuse to slack off… I guess, because of you, I saw how weak my resolve really is. Even though Yuji-san has his… erm… L-Limitations, you still want to try your best, right?"

She shouldn't be using me as a role model to aspire to.

I'm only so desperate because the alternative, a life fanning croquettes and going 'fap, fap, fap' in the stables, seemed like the worst option of the two.

"...Hah. Suit yourself. If that's your choice, then don't regret it."

"I won't!"

Looking at this carefree girl who would willingly throw away a stable career based on a sudden whim…

"Alright! Let's start right away and recruit members in the guild!"

"That sounds good, but Yuji-san is banned, remember?"

"...Right."

...Later that night…

Even though I was already so passionate…

"...Oi! Quiet down! Can't you hear that I'm going 'fap, fap, fap' over here?!"

I had no choice but to spend another night in the stables.


End file.
